Houston Chronicle Sunday

Use smart remodeling for healthy home

- By Dan Marshall

A majority of Americans say having a healthy home is important to them (98 percent), and define such a space as one that has a calming atmosphere (91 percent), is energy efficient (93 percent) and is filled with natural light (92 percent) and fresh air (96 percent), according to a recent online survey among homeowners conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of VELUX skylights.

So if you are planning to remodel a home, the addition of sunlight and fresh air are ways to improving indoor air quality for a healthier home and better well-being.

Proper ventilatio­n is necessary to allow for air movement to control indoor humidity and greatly reduce airborne contaminan­ts, which can be very unhealthy.

High indoor humidity encourages mold growth. Indoor airborne contaminan­ts come from appliances that burn gas and certain chemicals used in constructi­on such as carpets, glues, paint and particle boards.

When remodeling, adding skylights to the project plan not only improves your home’s looks and energy efficiency, but adds natural lighting, ventilatio­n options and comfort.

After all, skylights are windows that let fresh air in after cooking and cleaning or just to enjoy the smells and sounds of the seasons, removing boundaries between inside and outside.

This spring, VELUX will be offering a new smart technology by Netatmo, VELUX Active, where homeowners have control over their indoor climate on new or existing skylights. This home automation makes it even easier to have a healthy indoor climate.

The smart sensor will automatica­lly monitor your home’s temperatur­e, humidity and CO2 levels. According to the local weather, the system will air out three times a day for a healthier home. In addition, VELUX Integra blinds will close proactivel­y based on the local weather forecast.

The skylights and blinds can be operated with a smartphone.

So if you are planning to remodel, consider adding skylights to transform your home into a brighter, healthier environmen­t by letting in more natural light and fresh air.

This article was provided by a member of the Remodelers Council of the Greater Houston Builders Associatio­n. The Remodelers Council is dedicated to promoting profession­alism and public awareness of the remodeling profession through education, certificat­ion and service to the Houston community. To reach the author directly, email dan@innovative­skylights.com. For informatio­n on this article, contact Lorraine Hart at lorraine@idealconsu­lting.net. To join the council or to find a profession­al remodeler in your area, visit www.ghba.org.

 ?? Photo courtesy of Innovative Skylights ?? Bring in light and fresh air to your bathroom space.
Photo courtesy of Innovative Skylights Bring in light and fresh air to your bathroom space.
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